It felt good to be working again, to do something productive and interesting.

It felt good to be digging around in code. I enjoyed myself.

It felt strangely familiar, as if I hadn’t been gone.

It felt bad to be so in such a rush. Not a minute to spare in the morning (from getting up to getting to work), 20 minutes to spare in the evening (between Ingrid’s meal and her bath).

It felt bad not to be able to spend more time with Ingrid. I feed her and then I have to leave her – no time to stay around and play or cuddle, because even as it is the two feeds take a good 40 minutes out of my working day.

It felt strange to not really know how she is doing during the day. At home I see and hear her all the time, so I always know how she is feeling. Tired? Grumpy? Bored? Active? Sociable? Now all I get is a quick summary… A distance between us that wasn’t there before.